THE NAUTILUS. 15 



short, reflexed and inflexed grooved spine at the shoulder of the 

 whorl ; nuclear whorls one-and-a-half, smooth, minute ; nepionic 

 whorls two-and-a-half, with the whorls tabulate, two strong spiral 

 cords at the shoulder, the varices thin, irregular laminae low and ob- 

 scure ; subsequent whorls, with five (increasing in the adult to seven) 

 strong, anteriorly crispate, amber-brown varices, under which the 

 whorls are tabulate, the intervarical spaces whitish, nearly smooth 

 or with very obscure revolving lines or threads ; base of the whorls 

 somewhat constricted with a short grooved spine on each varix where 

 it crosses the concavity ; aperture obovate, small, with the inner lip 

 smooth, the outer one more or less denticulate on the edge, the 

 enamel whitish ; canal long, anteriorly attenuated, the margins ad- 

 jacent but not adherent. Height of adult 45.0 ; max. diameter 28.0 ; 

 max. diameter of aperture 10.5 mm. 



Types, U. S. Nat. Museum, 130628 and 133945. 



Dredged by U. S. F. C. Str. Albatross off Santa Rosa Island, in 

 82 fathoms sand, also found off San Pedro and Catalina Island by 

 various collectors. 



Specimens were named and distributed in 1895, but by some in- 

 advertence the descriptions, both of this and the following species, 

 seem to have remained unpublished. 



Alaba oldroydi n. sp. 



Shell small, polished, pale rufescent brown, with seven whorls, 

 the protoconch smooth, swollen, globose, the following whorl smooth 

 and rather inflated, the subsequent whorls sharply spirally grooved 

 with wider interspaces, crossed especially the earlier ones with a few 

 irregular, low, half obsolete wrinkles, the whorls are flatfish and 

 sometimes slightly constricted in front of the suture ; the aperture 

 patulous, recalling that of Rissoina, the base rounded with no um- 

 bilicus. Length 5.25 ; max. diam. 2.0 ; length of last whorl 2.5 mm. 



Type, U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 158,771. San Pedro, 10 fathoms. 

 Collected by Mrs. Oldroyd, Mr. Roper, Mr. Lowe, and others near 

 San Pedro. 



None of the specimens retain the operculum. The form of the 

 shell, and especially of the aperture, recalls Rissoina, but the irregu- 

 lar varices, sculpture and apex are more like Alaba. A certain 

 amount of doubt as to its true zoological position must remain until 

 the operculum is known. 



